What is a narrative essay?
A narrative essay is a form of writing aiming to tell a story, typically written in the first-person point of view.
As the author, the objective is to create a realistic environment and experience for the audience. Thus, the reader must be placed at the story’s heart and maintain their interest.
Purpose
The purpose of a narrative essay is to share tales. The writer has the burden of telling readers about a real-life event while clearly arguing why that tale is important and how it relates to the rest of the world.
What distinguishes this form of writing from others is that one does not argue, critique, or try to persuade the readers; instead, you tell the tale.
Readers will make their judgments based on what you are saying.
The two forms of a narrative essay are descriptive narrative essay and autobiographical.
Format and Structure
A narrative essay typically comprises five paragraphs – opening paragraphing, three to four body paragraphs, and a concluding statement. A narrative essay, however, has a defined aim for each of its sections:
- Introduction – opens the tale by providing context, a statement of intent, and a hook for the reader;
- Paragraph 1 – rising action;
- Paragraph 2 – climax;
- Paragraph 3 – falling action;
- Conclusion – learnt lessons from the story.
Introduction
You must accomplish three things with the first sentence of the story:
- Set the scene by using a hook to draw readers into your account.
- Define the goal of the writing and should not tell the whole story.
- As the last point, your narrative opening should give a sense of what the piece is about as the thesis statement. Give a teaser of what is to come, but do not detail what you have learned.
Main Body
This is the most crucial element of your document: the body of your work. In this section, you will convey the tale, provide context, and lead the reader through the story’s plot. The number of paragraphs in a narrative essay’s body is determined by the overall word count of the document.
Conclusion
In the conclusion of your report, you must provide concluding remarks regarding your story. Here, it would be best if you reiterated some of the essential elements and concepts from the body.
In fact, you must emphasize the lessons you have learned from a specific event and leave your audience with something to consider.